Dena f EnglishPossibly a short form of names ending with
dena. It has also been used as a variant of
Deanna.
Denag f Middle PersianDerived from Middle Persian
𐭣𐭩𐭭 (den) meaning
"character, conscience, religion". This was the name of several queens consort of the Sasanian Empire.
Derya f TurkishMeans
"sea, ocean" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian.
Desamparados f SpanishMeans
"helpless, defenceless, forsaken" in Spanish. It is taken from an epithet of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados, meaning "Our Lady of the Helpless". She is the patron saint of Valencia, Spain.
Desideratus m Late RomanDerived from Latin
desideratum meaning
"desired". This was the name of a 6th-century French saint.
Despoina f Greek Mythology, GreekMeans
"mistress, lady" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of the daughter of Demeter and Poseidon. She was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at Eleusis near Athens.
Devante m African American (Modern)Combination of the phonetic elements
da,
von and
tay. DeVanté Swing (1969-), stage name of Donald DeGrate Jr., was a singer with the group Jodeci. His name dramatically rose in popularity in the early 1990s when the group released their first successful songs, though it soon began to recede again.
... [more] Dewayne m EnglishVariant of
Duane, with the spelling altered due to the influence of
Wayne. It can be spelled
Dewayne or with a capitalized third letter as
DeWayne.
Dezba f NavajoMeans
"going raiding" in Navajo, derived from
baa' meaning "raid".
Dhruva m HinduismMeans
"fixed, immovable, firm, stable" in Sanskrit, also referring to the North Star (Polaris). According to Hindu mythology this was a devotee of
Vishnu who became the North Star.
Diadumenian m HistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Diadumenianus, which was derived from the Greek name
Diadumenus. This was the name of a Roman Emperor who reigned briefly in the 3rd century.
Diamond f English (Rare), African American (Modern)From the English word
diamond for the clear colourless precious stone, the traditional birthstone of April. It is derived from Late Latin
diamas, from Latin
adamas, which is of Greek origin meaning "unconquerable, unbreakable".
Diana f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Armenian, Georgian, Roman MythologyMeans
"divine, goddesslike", a derivative of Latin
dia or
diva meaning
"goddess". It is ultimately related to the same Indo-European root *
dyew- found in
Zeus. Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess
Artemis.
... [more] Diarmaid m Irish, Irish MythologyMeaning unknown, though it has been suggested that it means
"without envy" in Irish. In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior who became the lover of
Gráinne. It was also the name of several ancient Irish kings.
Diklah m BiblicalPossibly means
"palm grove" in Hebrew or Aramaic. In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of
Joktan.
Diksha f HindiMeans
"preparation for a religious ceremony" in Sanskrit.
Dilipa m HinduismMeans
"protector of Delhi" from Sanskrit
दिल्ली (see
Delhi) combined with
प (pa) meaning "protecting". According to Hindu scripture this was the name of a king who was an ancestor of
Rama 1.
Dina 1 f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Latvian, Russian, Ukrainian, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Greek, Biblical LatinForm of
Dinah in several languages, as well as the form in the Hebrew, Greek and Latin Old Testament.
Dinah f Biblical, EnglishMeans
"judged" in Hebrew, derived from
דִּין (din) meaning "to judge". According to the Old Testament, Dinah was a daughter of
Jacob and
Leah who was abducted by Shechem. It has been used as an English given name since after the Protestant Reformation.
Dinara f Kazakh, Tatar, KyrgyzMeaning uncertain, perhaps from Arabic
دينار (dīnār), a currency used in several Muslim countries, ultimately derived from Latin
denarius. Alternatively it may be a derivative of
دين (dīn) meaning "religion".
Dinesha m HinduismMeans
"day lord" from Sanskrit
दिन (dina) meaning "day" and
ईश (īśa) meaning "lord". In Hindu texts this is used as a name of the sun.
Diocletian m HistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Diocletianus, a derivative of
Diokles. This was the name of a Roman emperor of the 3rd and 4th centuries (Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus). He is remembered for persecuting Christians, but he also reformed and stabilized the crumbling Empire.
Dipaka m HinduismMeans
"inflaming, exciting" in Sanskrit. This is another name of
Kama, the Hindu god of love.
Discordia f Roman MythologyMeans
"discord, strife" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of discord, equivalent to the Greek goddess
Eris.
Diyar m & f KurdishMeans
"apparent, visible, clear" in Kurdish.
Django m Popular CultureThe name of Romani-French musician Django Reinhardt (1910-1953), whose real name was Jean. It is possibly from a Romani word meaning
"I awake", though it might in fact be derived from the name
Jean 1. This is the name of the title character in the Italian western movie
Django (1966), as well as numerous subsequent films.
Doğukan m TurkishFrom Turkish
doğu "east" combined with either
kan "blood" or
han "khan, leader".
Doireann f Irish, Irish MythologyPossibly from the Old Irish prefix
der "daughter" and
finn "white, blessed". Alternatively it may be derived from Irish
doireann "sullen, tempestuous". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including a daughter of Bodb Derg who poisoned
Fionn mac Cumhaill after he spurned her advances.
Domagoj m CroatianDerived from the Slavic elements
domŭ "home" and
gojiti "grow, heal, foster, nurture". This name was borne by a 9th-century duke of Croatia.
Domantas m LithuanianFrom the Lithuanian root
do- "to give" combined with
mantus "intelligent" or
manta "property, wealth". It is sometimes conflated with
Daumantas.
Domitian m HistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Domitianus, itself derived from the family name
Domitius. This was the name of a 1st-century Roman emperor, born as Titus Flavius Domitianus.
Domitilla f Italian, Ancient RomanFeminine diminutive of the Roman family name
Domitius. This was the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Vespasian and the mother of emperors Titus and Domitian.
Domna f Late Roman, GreekFeminine form of
Domnus. Saint Domna of Nicomedia was martyred during the persecutions of the early 4th century. However, in the case of Julia Domna, the Syrian wife of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus, it seems her name was actually of Semitic origin.
Donald m Scottish, EnglishFrom the Scottish Gaelic name
Dòmhnall meaning
"ruler of the world", composed of the Old Irish elements
domun "world" and
fal "rule". This was the name of two 9th-century kings of the Scots and Picts. It has traditionally been very popular in Scotland, and during the 20th century it became common in the rest of the English-speaking world. This is the name of one of Walt Disney's most popular cartoon characters, Donald Duck, introduced 1931. It was also borne by Australian cricket player Donald Bradman (1908-2001) and former American president Donald Trump (1946-).
Donatello m ItalianDiminutive of
Donato. The Renaissance sculptor Donato di Niccolò di Bette Bardi (1386-1466) was better known as Donatello.
Donato m Italian, Spanish, PortugueseFrom the Late Latin name
Donatus meaning
"given". Several early saints had this name. The name was also borne by two Renaissance masters: the sculptor Donato di Niccolo di Bette Bardi (also known as Donatello), and the architect Donato Bramante.
Donna f EnglishFrom Italian
donna meaning
"lady". It is also used as a feminine form of
Donald.
Donovan m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Donndubháin, itself derived from the given name
Donndubán. This name is borne by the Scottish folk musician Donovan Leitch (1946-), known simply as Donovan.
Dora f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, English, German, DutchShort form of
Dorothy,
Theodora or
Isidora.
Doran m English (Rare)From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Deoradháin, from the byname
Deoradhán, derived from Irish
deoradh meaning "exile, wanderer" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Dorian m English, French, Romanian, PolishThe name was first used by Oscar Wilde in his novel
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), which tells the story of a man whose portrait ages while he stays young. Wilde may have taken it from the name of the ancient Greek tribe the Dorians.
Dorinda f English, GalicianCombination of
Dora and the name suffix
inda. It was apparently coined by the English writers John Dryden and William D'Avenant for their play
The Enchanted Island (1667). In the play, a loose adaptation of Shakespeare's
The Tempest, Dorinda is the sister of Miranda.
Dorothea f German, Dutch, English, Ancient GreekFeminine form of the Greek name
Δωρόθεος (Dorotheos), which meant
"gift of god" from Greek
δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift" and
θεός (theos) meaning "god". The name
Theodore is composed of the same elements in reverse order. Dorothea was the name of two early saints, notably the 4th-century martyr Dorothea of Caesarea. It was also borne by the 14th-century Saint Dorothea of Montau, who was the patron saint of Prussia.
Dougal m ScottishAnglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic name
Dubhghall meaning
"dark stranger", from Old Irish
dub "dark" and
gall "stranger". This name was borne by a few medieval Scottish chiefs.
Douglas m Scottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was from the name of a town in Lanarkshire, itself named after a tributary of the River Clyde called the Douglas Water. It means
"dark river", derived from Gaelic
dubh "dark" and
glais "water, river" (an archaic word related to
glas "grey, green"). This was a Scottish Lowland clan, the leaders of which were powerful earls in the medieval period. The Gaelic form is
Dùghlas or
Dùbhghlas. It has been used as a given name since the 16th century.
Draco m Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek name
Δράκων (Drakon), which meant
"dragon, serpent". This was the name of a 7th-century BC Athenian legislator. This is also the name of a constellation in the northern sky.
Dracula m History, LiteratureMeans "son of Dracul" in Romanian, with
Dracul being derived from Romanian
drac "dragon". It was a nickname of the 15th-century Wallachian prince Vlad III, called the Impaler, whose father was Vlad II Dracul. However, the name Dracula is now most known from the 1897 novel of the same name by Bram Stoker, which features the Transylvanian vampire Count Dracula, who was probably inspired in part by the historical Wallachian prince.
Dragiša m SerbianOriginally a diminutive of names beginning with the Slavic element
dorgŭ (South Slavic
drag) meaning
"precious".
Dragoljub m Serbian, CroatianFrom the Slavic elements
dorgŭ (South Slavic
drag) meaning "precious" and
ľuby meaning
"love". This is also the Serbian and Croatian word for the flowering plant nasturtium (species Tropaeolum majus).
Dragoș m RomanianOriginally a short form of Slavic names beginning with the element
dorgŭ meaning
"precious", such as
Dragomir. This was the name of a 14th-century ruler of Moldavia.
Drake m EnglishFrom an English surname derived from the Old Norse byname
Draki or the Old English byname
Draca both meaning "dragon", both via Latin from Greek
δράκων (drakon) meaning "dragon, serpent". This name coincides with the unrelated English word
drake meaning "male duck". A famous bearer is the Canadian actor and rapper Drake (1986-), who was born as Aubrey Drake Graham.
Draško m Serbian, CroatianOriginally a diminutive of names containing the Slavic element
dorgŭ (South Slavic
drag) meaning
"precious".
Draupadi f HinduismMeans
"daughter of Drupada" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata this is the name of the daughter of King Drupada of Panchala. She married all of the Pandavas, the five sons of
Pandu.
Draža m SerbianDiminutive of names beginning with the Slavic element
dorgŭ (South Slavic
drag) meaning
"precious".
Dražen m Croatian, SerbianDerived from the Slavic element
dorgŭ (South Slavic
drag) meaning
"precious", originally a diminutive of names beginning with that element.
Dream f English (Modern)From the English word
dream referring to imaginary events seen in the mind while sleeping or a hope or wish.
Drupada m HinduismMeans
"wooden pillar" or
"firm footed" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata this is the name of a king of Panchala, the father of
Draupadi and Dhrishtadyumna.
Drustan m PictishDiminutive of
Drust. This name was borne by a 7th-century Irish saint who was active among the Picts in Scotland.
Duane m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Dubháin, itself derived from the given name
Dubhán. Usage in America began around the start of the 20th century. It last appeared on the top 1000 rankings in 2002, though the variant
Dwayne lingered a few years longer.
Duarte m PortuguesePortuguese form of
Edward. This name was borne by a 15th-century king of Portugal, who was named after his maternal ancestor Edward III of England.
Dubaku m & f AkanMeans
"eleventh born child" in Akan.
Dubhán m Irish (Rare)From Old Irish
Dubán meaning
"little dark one", derived from
dub "dark, black" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a few early saints.
Dubhshláine m Old IrishDerived from Old Irish
dub "dark, black" and either
slán "challenge, defiance" or
Sláine, the Irish name of the River Slaney.
Dubthach m Old IrishOld Irish name derived from
dub "dark, black" in combination with a second element of unknown meaning. This was the name of a 6th-century saint, a bishop of Armagh. It also appears in Irish legend as a companion of
Fergus mac Róich.